Proposal

New Bush administration proposal poses threats to endangered species

The Bush administration has issued a proposal that paves the way for federal agencies not to require any approval from agencies that look after endangered species when starting a new project. The proposal does not need congressional approval, and taking this decision back might be a thing that would take the new administration a rather large amount of time to do.

The proposal affects the Endangered Species Act, which was adopted in 1973. According to this act, federal agencies are required to make sure that the actions that are authorized or funded by them do no pose any threats to the endangered species that live in the area where such actions are carried out. This forces federal agencies to consult with other agencies or services in order to figure out whether the actions they are planning might have undesired effects on the local wildlife, as well as what should be done to protect it.

The Bush administration's proposal allows federal agencies to determine for themselves whether the actions they take have any effects on the endangered species. One question that raises concerns is whether these federal agencies do have the know-how to determine these things themselves.

According to the IdahoStatesman.com, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, said that "The proposed regulations will continue to protect species while focusing the consultation process on those federal actions where potential impacts can be linked to the action and the risks are reasonably certain to occur. The result should be a process that is less time-consuming and a more effective use of our resources."

(Published by eFluxMedia - august 18, 2008)